The "Meowl" meme has taken over TikTok this month. Why? Because the strange photoshop of a cat-owl hybrid creature is just too cute not to caption.

It's sparked variant cat photoshops, like the "Corn Dog Cat," and has been reminiscent of precursor lifeforms, like "Cabbits" the world famous "Smurf Cat."

But the "Meowl" is different, mostly because its origin is older than expected and it's from a different country.

Curious about where the "Meowl" meme came from and how it got to TikTok this year? Let's explain.

Where Did The 'Meowl' Meme Come From?

The origin story of the Meowl starts in the year 2013, when a user named zhumaokele on the Chinese social media site Weibo shared a post that compiled multiple photoshops of a cat's head on an owl's body.

One in particular has stood the test of time. It shows the body of a barn owl perched on what appears to be a branch and the head of a doe-eyed kitty.

The image has evolved into the modern era, showing the same cat's face but instead placed on a bird. Unfortunately, it's unknown who made the "Cat Bird" meme at the moment.

What we do know, though, is the cat's name, whose likeness has been spread around the web. Her name is Melonpi, and she went viral on the Chinese internet back in 2012. The source photo has also been shared on Tumblr.

How Did The 'Meowl' Meme Land On TikTok?

Meowl photoshops have been notably spreading since last year, evident in a viral "slow fade-in" edit from TikToker @maheadfullofzig that was shared in February 2024.

The image caption meme used the "Cat Bird" variant and paired it with the sentence, "When she say she's going to touch u but you low key want that." It resonated with a lot of people at the time.

Since then, the Meowl memes have not slowed down. In recent months, uncanny AI videos and Blingee homages of the cat-owl singing the song "New Soul" by Yael Naim have popped up on the app.

Again, the Meowl meme is resonating with the masses.

What Is The 'I'm A New Soul' TikTok Trend?

In recent days, an odd TikTok trend has emerged from the Meowl meme. People, mostly students in a classroom setting, have been pretending to be a bird perched on their friend's arm.

They're doing this by tucking their knees into their T-shirts and grabbing the "branch" with their hands. The photo magic is reminiscent of other viral trends of yore, like "planking."

It's being called the "I'm A New Soul" trend because the TikTok photos are being paired with a sped-up version of the song "New Soul" by Yael Naim, focusing on the lyrics, "I'm a new soul, I came to this strange world."

So, if you've seen this trend pop up on your "For You" page, now you have the context. It's all because of a Chinese Photoshop edit meme that has persisted for over a decade.

What Are Some More 'Meowl' Memes?

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For the full history of Meowl, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's entry for even more information.